Legends: Betrothed
by SixNewAdventures
Summary: In a bid for an alliance with the neighboring kingdom of the Pridelands, young Kamaria is betrothed to the hotheaded Crown Prince, Mohatu. Destined to become queen, yet stuck with a future mate who can't even look at her, she now has to find a way around things. After all, who knows, true love might just be around the corner. Book 1
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

* * *

><p>"That's insane!"<p>

Kamaria perked her ears up at her older brother, who was standing nose-to-nose with their father, an enraged look on his face. Behind him, their sister stood with an equally angry look in her eyes.

"Calm down…" their mother said.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" He snapped, eyes blazing.

"Son, what is this about?" their father asked, confused.

"You know very well what it's about!" he yelled, "You're sending Kamaria away!"

Both parents looked at each other in exasperation. The king looked back at his eldest children with a tired look. "We're not sending her away."

"Yes, you are!" their daughter yelled. "And off to the Pridelands, too!"

Kamaria, who had been sitting in a corner, looking between her parents and her siblings, suddenly decided to speak up. "They're not sending me away." She softly said. Even in a low voice, somehow everyone seemed to have heard it, not only her family but also a few lionesses that were at the den's entrance. Her parents looked at her with grateful looks while her siblings looked shocked.

"Kamaria, you can't be serious…" her brother said, horrified.

"It was my decision." She interjects. "And besides, it's not that bad."

"Oh, it's bad," her sister growled. "Not only are you being sent away, you're also gonna be forced to marry someone you don't love!"

"Like I said, it's not that bad." Kamaria tried to soothe her sister. But her sister ignored her and turned back to their father.

"She doesn't even get a say in who her mate could be. She's still a teenager, for King's sake! And she doesn't even know whether she wants to be the future queen of a land, a land which she has no connection to!" she yelled. The old king took a step forward.

"It's for the best, Subira," he tried to explain, "The Pridelands have been our neighbours for ages, and this betrothal might just help form an alliance, which we desperately need."

His son growled. "You don't need anything!"

The king fixed his son with a look. "Yes, we do. I'm growing old now, Zuberi. We waited too long to have cubs, and now we're struggling. I can't protect the pride forever. Even though Subira could be a great queen, and I have complete faith in her abilities to do so, having an alliance with the neighboring kingdom might prove helpful in the near future."

Zuberi snarled. "But did you have to exchange _Kamaria_ for it? Couldn't you have just handed over a zebra or something?"

The king's brow was furrowed as he stared at his two defiant cubs. Even though Zuberi and Subira were young, energetic and extremely skilled, their father had experience. Though he was quite old, he could easily take his own cubs down. The queen, worried slightly about the situation, stepped in between her cubs and her mate, signaling her cubs to calm down with a look before turning to her king.

"Wemusa," she said, "try to understand our cubs' perspectives. They don't want to see their sister go so soon, which is understandable. My own brother wasn't very happy when I was sent off to be your kingdom's future queen." She took a deep breath. "Also, cubs these days tend to focus more on the concept of true love. They just want the same for Kamaria. However…" she turned to her cubs, "you cubs should also understand that your father only has best interests at heart. He wants Kamaria to have a balanced, stable life, and she might get more than we can offer over there. Anyway," she smiled, "your sister is going to be a queen, and don't you want to be happy for her? If she rules the land with fairness and dedication, does it matter that she wasn't influenced by true love? If she has a better life, a life that we can offer her away from home, wouldn't you want that?"

Her cubs seemed to calm down. "But, I thought you said families should stick together." Zuberi softly said, not looking his mother in her eyes.

Her eyes softened. "And you will stick together. Just, Kamaria might start her own family to stick by."

The two siblings shared a glance while the old king looked gratefully at his mate.

"Jioni, thank you." He sighed.

After what seemed like hours, the two young adults breathed sighs of defeat before turning back to their parents. "Fine." Zuberi said reluctantly.

"At least tell us his name." Subira said, leading the king and queen to lock eyes with Kamaria.

"Mohatu."

* * *

><p>"So, why did you betroth me to him exactly?" Kamaria asked.<p>

She and her mother were already well on their way to her new home in the Pridelands. She was surprised at the distance they were able to cover in two short days.

Her brother and sister had reluctantly agreed to let her go and do her own thing, with a little more persuasion, of course. She had always known that her siblings were more headstrong than she was, leading to that last minute confrontation about sending their little sister away. While she herself saw no problems with the idea of it, she had never even met him, and she had to say that she'd like to get to know at least a little bit, so that she'd know what she was getting into.

Also, she couldn't deny that she was a bit scared about getting into this. Despite all she had said, she was still a kid. What if he was an adult? That would make things very awkward. Plus, he might grow too old too fast, just like what had happened with her mother and father, her father being at least three years older than her, hence growing old as he was while she was still in her prime. Adding to the fact was that they had waited too long to have cubs, and now there was a fear that the old king would pass away too soon, leaving the kingdom unguarded. This betrothal was even more necessary than it seemed.

Her mother seemed to have made good guesses about what was going through her daughter's mind. "Don't worry, princess." She grinned. "Before your father and I agreed to the match, we checked it up. He's your age, so don't you worry about that." She looked down, a slight glaze covering her eyes. "After all, we wouldn't want you to be in the situation we're in."

Kamaria took a step back. "Mother, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known about anything when your parents made the match." She said, trying to console her mother. "But it worked out anyway, didn't it?"

"But it took three years to even make basic contact, and another just to build a relationship." Her mother protested. She stopped and sighed. "Sometimes, I worry about whether we are doing the right thing, giving you up like this." She took a deep breath. "Sometimes I can't help but wonder whether Zuberi was right."

Suddenly, all the secret resentment and anger from being forced into this betrothal melted away inside her. "Oh, Mother." She said, not being able to express what she wanted to say. She stepped forward and gave her mother a gentle nuzzle. "It'll be fine." She softly said.

"But, princess, what if he's not what you expect?" her mother asked, trying to put it in as polite a way as possible.

"I'll make it work." Kamaria promised. "I'll make it work, somehow."

Jioni smiled at her daughter. Out of her three cubs, Kamaria had always been the most level-headed of all. Far more mature than her years, she had shown remarkable patience and tolerance, along with amazing decision-making skills and leadership ability. She would have been the perfect candidate for the throne, except for the law that stated that the first born, in their case her eldest daughter Subira, must always assume the throne. So, when they had gotten the message from the Pridelands, they had seen it as a chance for Kamaria's skills to be put to good use, to make a land prosperous. And even now, she could see the Pridelands prospering under her daughter's rule.

The two then resumed their journey. They were only a day's walk away from the Pridelands, and that time was getting closer and closer.

"What's he like?"

Jioni turned her head slightly towards her daughter. "Yes?"

"Mohatu." Kamaria clarified. "What's he like? I mean, like is he nice, or like Zuberi, or…?"

"I'm not really sure." Jioni softly said. "But I'm sure that he's a nice guy." She tried to console her after seeing the look of fright on her daughter's face. "I'm sure he'll treat you well."

"I hope." Kamaria muttered, following her mother over a slope of land, and coming up into the view of the Prideland's border.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please read and review^^**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

* * *

><p>As the sun rose up into the sky, it illuminated the savannah, and colored the sky in rich shades of red. The rising sun showed the way to two lionesses who had entered into the rich land, with the younger one staring in awe at the sights around her.<p>

"This is beautiful." She told her mother.

Her mother grinned. "Just wait until you see Pride Rock."

The two of them walked over a small hill, and when they stood on top, they were faced with the sight of the glorious Pride Rock, jutting out from the ground, stand tall and regal, casting a gigantic shadow on the ground. Even from way afar, the glorious sight was astounding, and Jioni had to grin softly at the open-mouthed look on her daughter's face.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked. Kamaria could only nod in reply.

* * *

><p>By midday, the two had reached the base of the glorious Pride Rock, and to a warm welcome. The lionesses that had been lazing around got up and came closer, greeting them with warm smiles and friendly nudges. A few of the lionesses, recognizing them at once, bowed their heads in respect. Kamaria, not really sure what to do, since no one had really bowed to her like that before, simply smiled widely at them, and watched her mother give friendly nods at them. Honestly, the warmth in this place was unnatural.<p>

As they came upon Pride Rock, they weren't alone, as there was already someone waiting to receive them.

How to describe the King of the Pridelands? He was huge, definitely, but not just huge. He was the largest lion she had ever seen. His fur was the color of mud, with an even darker, thicker mane. He had a strong, powerful build that would make any rogue think twice about challenging him. But even with his fierce exterior, his blue eyes had an amused twinkle in them, as if he was watching his cubs play or something. His face had a wide smile that gave her the feeling that most of the time, he was laughing. He had an air of regal calm, and she felt safe and secure with him. She knew at once that he would treat her well and look after her like she was his own.

As they slowly climbed the Rock, he came down a few rocks and met them halfway. "Welcome."

Kamaria nearly jumped at hearing his voice. It was deep, rich and powerful, with warm undertones and a booming touch to it. And to be honest, it fitted him perfectly.

Her mother ignored her daughter's startle and instead addressed the king. "Thank you for meeting us here, Your Majesty." She said, with perfect grace and respect. "We have travelled a long way."

"I know you have." He said. "And I thank you for answering our message and coming on such short notice. I trust you had no troubles on your journey."

She shook her head. "Not at all, Your Majesty."

He smiled. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Come inside. And just for introduction's sake, I am Nkosi."

"I am Jioni," she gestured to her daughter, "and this is my daughter Kamaria."

It was then that the king set his eyes on her, and she suddenly felt insecure. Of course, his gaze wasn't intimidating, but calculating, as if he was seeing what she was worth, and she didn't want to know if he thought she wasn't worth it. She wanted to please him, and win his approval.

He nodded. "She looks a lot like you, Queen Jioni." He smiled at her, a warm smile that sent warmth throughout her body, almost like her father's. "I can already see her growing up to be the most beautiful queen this land has seen."

Her mother almost glowed with pride. "I know she will."

* * *

><p>He led them both to the den, and told the remaining lionesses to give them some privacy. Their guests were tired and hungry; could they form a hunting party and treat them to a delicious water buffalo? At once all the lionesses cleared out, some off to hunt, and some off to enjoy the sun. But one lioness stayed back, and she came up to greet them.<p>

"You must be Queen Jioni." She said, with a voice like a summer breeze. "We are honored to have you here."

"Queen Jioni, I'd like to introduce my mate, Queen Imani." Nkosi said, walking forward and standing beside his queen.

"Pleasure to meet you." Her mother said. "But if you don't mind me asking, where is your son?"

"Oh, he's right there." Imani said, gesturing towards a dark corner of the den.

Only then did Kamaria notice the young lion coming up to them. He looked almost alike to his father, right down to the brown fur and dark brown mane, the only exception being his orange eyes, which he seemed to get from his mother. He was around her age, as far as she could tell, but he did share his father's size as well. What he didn't share was the warmth his parents radiated. He was grumpy, and was constantly grumbling, as if he had things better to do.

Needless to say, that irked Kamaria a bit.

"I would like to introduce my son, Mohatu." Nkosi said, shooting a look at his son, making him straighten up at once. At least he had the sense to listen to his father.

Jioni nodded, ignoring Mohatu's behavior. "I have faith that my daughter will be a great queen for your kingdom." She told Nkosi.

"Well, we are glad you even decided to answer our call." Imani said. "Aren't we, Mohatu?" she looked at her son.

The young lion shrugged. "Yeah, whatever." He said, uninterested. He then caught Kamaria's eyes and gave her an angry glare, surprising her.

Nkosi sent an angry glare towards his son while Imani turned with an apologizing look towards the visitors. "We terribly apologize for our son's behavior. He wasn't too happy about the betrothal issue."

Jioni laughed. "I know exactly how that is. My own son and daughter were unwilling to let us leave in the first place." They laughed slightly.

Nkosi smiled. "Well, you have my word that Kamaria will be well taken care of here. I, personally, will treat her like my own. She will be well-protected and looked after, and even if she wants, she has the liberty to go back home whenever she wishes. I will train her along with my son."

Jioni bowed her head. "Thank you so much, Your Majesty. I'm at ease to hear that."

"Yes, now to other matters." He said, stepping forward. "We have to discuss the terms of this alliance." He turned to his mate. "Imani, can you show Kamaria Pride Rock and get her and Mohatu acquainted?"

"I'll do that." Imani agreed, giving her mate one last nuzzle and then leading the two young lions inside while the king and queen discussed important matters.

In the meantime, Kamaria had pressed her ears to the back of her head after watching the displays of affection that the Pridelands' King and Queen seemed to share. Of course, it was common knowledge that they had been betrothed as well, but seeing them now, she could have almost believed that they had fallen in love along the way. It wasn't like she fantasized about it all day, but at times, she wondered whether she'd have that fate one day.

* * *

><p>Imani led her to a secluded little cove in a cozy corner of the den. "I hope you like it." She said. "It's not much, but it's always been tradition for the betrothed to sleep here."<p>

Kamaria looked over it. It wasn't much like a cave, but it was more of an indent hollowed out in the wall of the rock cave. Deep enough to fit a lion as large as Nkosi, and wide enough to fit an elephant, it was like having her very own mini-den inside the main den.

"The seclusion of this place is due to the fact that most betrothed tended to bear cubs before ascending the throne, myself included." Imani explained. "It's better for us to have cubs before we ascend the throne so that it gives the pride a bit of satisfaction about the presence of an heir. They tend to get very finicky about the hierarchy." She chuckled slightly to herself. "But of course, you must not let what they think affect you. Cubs are a big responsibility, and you should only go in for them when you feel ready." She assured her.

Kamaria straightened up slightly. "Really?" she asked, then another thought struck her. "But what if…if…I…I…"

"You do not wish to bear my son's cubs?" Imani offered, a small smile on her face. Kamaria nodded, averting her eyes.

"Yes, we have all gone through that phase at least once in our lifetime." She said. "But, you are still very young, so you don't have to make that decision right now. King Nkosi and I still have a few years left in us." She laughed as Kamaria softly giggled.

Imani studied the younger lioness. "You don't talk much, do you?" she stated. Kamaria shook her head. "Well, not to worry. You still have time." She smiled reassuringly. "A lot can change in time."

* * *

><p>"So, they gave you my mother's old nest, did they?"<p>

She put her head up to see Mohatu there, his face set in a permanent scowl as he looked at the den's entrance. Just the fact that he was purposefully not looking at her sent a slight prickly feeling through her fur that she wasn't really sure how to react to. So, instead, she looked down. "I'm sorry if this place means so much to you." She said.

He grunted. "Just don't screw this place up." He harshly said, turning and walking out of the den.

Her tail twitched with annoyance at him. What was that guy's problem? Was it the betrothal? Okay, she wasn't too happy about it either, but she knew it was her duty. Would it kill him to think of someone else for a change other than his own self?

"I wouldn't bother too much with him if I were you."

Kamaria looked up once again to see a young lioness, probably about a year or so younger than her, maybe older, it was hard to tell. She had the signature tan fur of a Pridelander, except hers was freshly washed and smelled like wild flowers. Her long, thick lashes complimented her brilliant green eyes which carried a certain maturity that the other lionesses seemed to lack. They also carried a certain fire that was both intimidating and attractive to males.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

The lioness chuckled. "He has never been into the idea of betrothal, and he's very picky about choosing his mates." She walked forward and plopped herself in front of Kamaria. "Of course, almost every one of us tried to get him to notice us, and he just overlooked us all. But don't worry too much about it." She smiled.

Kamaria smiled back. "Thank you for trying. My name is Kamaria."

"Everyone knows who you are, Kamaria." The lioness said. "But since we're doing introductions, I'm Asha."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, guys^^ I really love that you guys are taking the time to read this.**

**Please read and review.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

* * *

><p>The early morning light shining through the entrance of the den fell on Kamaria's eyes, waking her up slightly. Still extremely groggy and sleepy, she squinted against the light, hoping to find darkness somewhere and sleep for a little longer. However, she had been taught at an early age that the queen's day started at the crack of dawn. So, reluctantly, she slowly opened her eyes, waiting for her eyes to get used to the rays of sunlight, as everything that had happened over the last few days came back to her.<p>

She got up, stretched herself, and noticed that everyone was still sleeping, including her own mother. Softly grinning to herself at being the first to rise, _again_, she slowly stepped over the lionesses in an attempt to go outside. Her father always said that fresh air was the best way for one to feel awake and alive. Plus, if she stayed in here longer, then she might just fall asleep on her paws.

Navigating through the sea of lionesses was harder than she had thought, as there seemed to be a lioness or a cub each time she tried to move away from them. At one point, she also found herself near Mohatu, her grumpy betrothed, snoring away softly. She tried to step over him, but then he growled, just barely audible, but it was enough to freeze her in her tracks. Then he just grumbled and turned over, making her breathe a sigh of relief.

She eventually made her way through the maze until she reached the entrance, just in time to see another lioness sitting on a protrusion that acted as a ledge, gazing out onto the brightening sky.

"You're up rather early, Kamaria." She said, not even turning around.

Kamaria stopped, before slowly going ahead. "Forgive the intrusion, your Majesty, but I should also say the same about you." She said politely.

Queen Imani chuckled. "You're definitely all that your mother claims you to be." She said, making the young lioness blush. She turned her head back to the sun slowly creeping up from behind the mountains. "As for why I'm here, I suspect our reasons might not be so different." She patted the ground next to her, gesturing to Kamaria to lay with her before turning back to the radiant sunrise. "It just makes everything look so pure and beautiful."

Kamaria hummed in agreement. Imani then turned to the young future queen, mixed emotions flashing across her eyes. "It also reminds me of rebirth."

"Rebirth?" Kamaria asked.

Imani nodded. She took a deep breath. "Kamaria, my dear, has your father ever taught you and your siblings about the significance of the rising sun?" she softly asked.

Kamaria shook her head. "No, never. We never really get that much sun where our pride lives." She said.

"I understand." Imani said. "However, here, in the Pridelands, we believe each sun is like a rebirth." She let herself smile a little. "Each day the sun rises, it's a sign of the world being reborn. A brand new day. A new life. In a way, it's the world starting over." She turned to the younger lioness. "We also believe that the reign of a King is like the sun. It rises as a new era, and sets, ending it, but signaling the start of another reign with the next sunrise." She felt the smile widening on her face. "Right now, the sun is up in the sky with the reign of King Nkosi and me, but one day, it will set on our time, and will rise with you and Mohatu as the new King and Queen."

Kamaria smiled at hearing this. She turned over to look at the sun, now high enough that it brightened up the land, but not too high that it was midday. She breathed in the cool breeze wafting through the land, thinking that yes, today was a brand new day.

"Well, isn't this pleasing?"

Both of them turned around to see the source of the voice, with Imani's face breaking into a bigger smile on seeing her mate, her king, walking casually up to them.

"You have great timing, Nkosi." Imani chuckled.

"I'm right, aren't I?" he grinned. "Seeing my two queens talking together is enough to make any king happy."

As Imani gave a mock scoff, Kamaria stood up and bowed. "Good morning, Your Majesty." She said.

The huge king laughed. "No need for formalities anymore, Kamaria. We're practically family now." He smiled at her as if she was his own. "But yes, it's good day. I can feel it."

Kamaria looked behind him to see if she could see Mohatu, but he was nowhere to be found. "Um, if you don't mind me asking…" she began but he cut her off.

"My son will have his lessons from Imani today." He told her. "I, on the other hand, have the pleasure to show you around our kingdom and get you acquainted with the land." He looked between both lionesses. "Well, what are we waiting for? The day has only begun and we have lots of things to do. Let's get on it, shall we?"

* * *

><p>"And this is the best part of the Pridelands, the water hole." Nkosi proudly announced.<p>

Kamaria's eyes widened at the beautiful location. It was the biggest watering she had ever seen, and definitely the most beautiful by far. Plus, almost every kind of animal seemed to be there, from antelope to leopards to elephants to crocodiles, all in one place, and calmly going about their business. Her mouth dropped open at the peace and tranquility at the place. Back home, water holes were hunting grounds for water-dwelling predators. But here, those same predators were peacefully sunbathing while the prey took a dip in the relaxing water.

Nkosi chuckled. "I'm betting your old home doesn't have places like this." She shook her head, muted. "Well, this is actually the only place in the Pridelands where hunting is forbidden."

"There's a place where hunting is forbidden?" Kamaria asked.

"Not everyone enjoys being prey all the time, just as no one enjoys being a predator all the time." The king explained. "Here, all animals can gather at one place, without fear. Herds can come to quench their thirst without having to fear being preyed upon. Predators can come and relax in the shade without having to compete with each other. This law may not make much sense, but it keeps the peace, and it helps the balance."

"All laws exist for a reason." Kamaria said, recalling something her father had told her a long time ago.

Nkosi nodded, smiling proudly. "Your father taught you well." He praised her. "Well, come on."

"Where to?" she asked, stopping herself before she could say 'Your Majesty'. She had already been called out ten times in the last five hours, and she wasn't sure how he'd deal with her if she said it again.

"To relax in the shade." He said, gesturing towards a small group of lionesses resting in the shade of a tree. "It's a hot day, and we've done enough sightseeing for now. You've been a wonderful student, and you deserve a rest in the shade."

It was only then that she noticed just how hot the sun was, and how steamed she was. It was the middle of summer after all. Turning her head to the sky and then to the lionesses, she decided that a rest in the shade wouldn't be such a bad idea.

As they approached the shady area, the lionesses looked up, giving the king respectful bows and kind smiles toward her. Along with them, a much younger lioness, around her own age, stood up and walked over to greet them.

"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Future Queen herself." She mockingly taunted.

Kamaria laughed. "Nice to see you too, Asha." She smiled.

"Where were you this morning?" Asha asked. "I woke up and you were just gone!"

"I woke up pretty early." Kamaria told her. "After that, the king took me on a tour."

"Well, hope you like our home." Asha said, smiling. "It's going to soon be yours as well."

"I know it will." Kamaria smiled.

Asha shared a light nuzzle with her new friend, before leading her to her previous spot under the tree, beside an older lioness who looked a lot like her. Also, Kamaria spotted her mother chatting it up with them, and laughing. She then saw her daughter and smiled.

"So, how was it?" the queen asked as her daughter lay down beside her.

"It was amazing, Mother." Kamaria's eyes sparkled. "The Pridelands is a beautiful kingdom."

Jioni smiled. "I'm happy to hear that, princess." She said, licking her daughter's head.

Kamaria closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze bring her temperature down. She could picture times like these, after a long hunt, just sitting with her fellow pride sisters and watching the animals go about their daily business, in a cool place like this. Maybe, one day, she'd bring her _own_ cubs to this place, and they'd play with each other. On hot summer days, they'd play in the water and dirt, getting themselves dirty, leaving her to clean them. Then they could have a nice nap…

Another thought struck her, those cubs wouldn't just be hers, they'd be Mohatu's as well, and things weren't going so well between the two of them. They had even run into him on the tour, and he had just blatantly ignored her, pretending as if she didn't exist.

She sighed. She and Mohatu needed to work it out. Otherwise, the lands would suffer, and it didn't deserve it. Also, she couldn't bring cubs into a troubled family environment. Goodness only knows what could happen to their mental state if they saw their father acting so hostile to their mother.

No, she didn't work like that.

"Don't worry, my princess." Her mother assured her, soothing her with gentle licks on the head. "A lot can change in time. You just have to have faith."

"I hope you're right, Mother." She softly said. "I only hope you're right."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter.**

**And special shout out to ThatTexasKid, for also reviewing the previous chapter. **

**Hope you guys like this one^^**

**Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

><p>"I hope you're ready for today's lesson." Imani said.<p>

Kamaria smiled, barely able to conceal her excitement. "I am ready." She said, trying (and failing) to keep the excitement out of her voice.

Imani chuckled. "I get it. Viewing the majordomo's eggs are a big deal to cubs your age." She smiled. "I'll bet you didn't go on many excursions like this back at home."

Kamaria shook her head. "At least now I can meet him as well." She said. "From what I've heard he's very loyal and nice."

"Oh he is." Imani said. "I'll also bet he'll really like you."

Kamaria turned her head down, blushing slightly from the compliment. She looked around for any sign of her future "mate", but as usual, he was nowhere to be found. Knowing him, he was probably avoiding her or something. Still, this was a big day for her, and she wasn't going to let thoughts of _him_ bring her spirits down. Not today.

She soon found herself coming up to a large tree, and that tree had a sort of hole at one point, thought most of it was covered up by mud.

"Yes, that's the nest, my dear." Imani assured her.

Just then, an aged hornbill flew up and sat on a branch near to them. "Ah, Your Majesty, pleased to see you again." He said, with a voice cracked with age.

"Pleased to see you too, Zahran." Imani said. "Kamaria, this is Zahran, our majordomo from the time of the First King."

The hornbill curtsied. "Princess Kamaria, it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance." He said. "After all, it seems like one of my hatchlings will be spending a lot of time with you." He turned to look at the nest, from where another hornbill was poking her beak out and watching the proceedings with a slight smile.

"The pleasure is all mine, Zahran." Kamaria said politely. "The king and queen have told me a lot about you, and I look forward to working with you."

The old majordomo turned to the queen. "You couldn't have chosen a finer match for the young prince." He said. Then he turned back to her. "I take it you two are already prancing around the Savannah with your tails entwined."

Kamaria looked down. Looks like she wasn't going to avoid this topic today. "Actually, he doesn't like me very much." She said.

Zahran seemed taken aback by her statement. "He doesn't? Well that's highly unlike him." He turned to Imani. "I thought the young Master was always a sucker for a pretty face."

"He is." Imani assured. "It's only that, he wasn't very happy that we were the ones who chose his suitor. He prefers to think that he is capable enough to choose his mate based on true love."

"Just like all the others, I see." Zahran ruffled his feathers slightly. "Well, don't let him get to you, Princess. You'll make a fine queen one day."

She tried to hide her blush. "Thank you, Zahran. That means a lot."

The old hornbill nodded, turning his head up to his nest. "Are you interested in seeing them?" he asks.

Kamaria shook her head, still smiling. "I must politely decline, Zahran. I would not like to intrude on your privacy." She says. He nods in understanding.

"Well, it was nice to meet you." He told her, spreading his wings and getting back to work.

* * *

><p>"Hey, are you listening?"<p>

"Hm?"

Kamaria lifted her head off her paws, looking over at her friend, who was looking at her indignantly. "Asha? What is it?"

"Did you listen to even a word of what I said?" she asked. Kamaria looked at her questioningly. "Oh, I guess you didn't."

Kamaria shook her head. "I'm sorry, Asha. I guess…I was a little…distracted."

"By what?" Following her friend's gaze, she saw what was none other than a playful scene of Mohatu and his two friends playing in the shallow waters of the watering hole. "Oh."

The young prince looked so happy, so free, that it was practically impossible to picture him as the grumpy pain in the rear he was to her. He laughed along with his friends, splashing them and running. It was then that she also realized that he looked so handsome when he was smiling, and one thing she started to wish was that he could be that happy when he was around her.

"Oh, sweetie." Asha said, sympathy in her voice, "He'll come around. I just know it, he will."

"But what if he doesn't?" Kamaria asked.

"Oh, he will." Asha assured her. "For such a beautiful face like yourself, who wouldn't?"

Kamaria looked down as she felt her face heat up slightly. Honestly, she still wasn't used to the constant praise.

"But, you know what, honey?" Asha said, drawing her attention once again. "Good looks can only get you so far, I can tell you that from personal experience."

"Then what will?" Kamaria asked.

"Strength." Asha simply said. "Most lions don't just want a pretty face; they want someone who can give them a run for their hide. Someone who isn't so easy to court. That's because they're hard to get, and the boys always want what they can't have."

"So…?"

"My point is, if you want Prince Moody over there to notice you, you need to let him know that you have options."

"Options?" This conversation was starting to give her a mild headache.

"Let him know that he isn't the only one you can get with." Asha explained. "Look, you have the looks and the status, all you need is the attitude. You need to show him that he isn't the one holding you down. If you want, there are lots of young males pining for you, and you'd be hella happy to accept their offers as well."

Kamaria narrowed her eyes. "That's not the way I work." She said. "And it's wrong, using the other males like that. They also deserve someone worthy to spend their lives with."

Asha scoffed. "Girl, you need to get out." She said. "They like this stuff."

"I'm not sure anyone likes being used." Kamaria said. "And like I said, I don't want Mohatu to fall in love with me just yet; I just want him to be my friend."

"Then you gotta show some backbone." Asha said. "You need to show him that he's not your lifeline, and that you don't answer to him."

"You really think that would work?" Kamaria asked.

"Well, I know that'll at least get his attention." Asha said with a slight smirk.

"You sound so confident." Kamaria softly sighed.

"That's because I know it will." Asha replied. "It worked for me."

"For you?"

"Well, I hate to say it, but I once tried to get his _attention_, if you know what I mean." Asha's tone was coy.

"No, I really don't." Kamaria said. All this stuff was giving her a headache.

Asha looked at her quizzically. "Did your father shut you in the den or what? You're acting like you don't know a thing!"

"He didn't." Kamaria said. "I had plenty of free room."

"Then did you know any other lions besides your father and brother?" Asha asked.

"Of course, I did. Most of my friends were lions."

"Then how on earth do you not know these basic courtship rituals?"

"I guess, it wasn't how we did things back there." Kamaria looked down.

"Uh huh," Asha said, "Look, you may have different practices there, but this is a different place. Over here, strength of character matters just as much as status or looks. You're going to be queen one day. You need to be strong, both physically and mentally."

Kamaria groaned. "All this is giving me a headache."

"Well, think about it." Asha said, flicking her tail. "If you ever want Mohatu to look at you, you've gotta mug up."

* * *

><p>Mohatu gasped for breath, alternating between panting and chuckling. "That all you got?"<p>

His companion grinned. "Not quite." Then, he promptly tackled his friend once again into the water, wrestling with the young prince. The two rough about for a while before their third friend pulls them both out, separating them.

"Now will you two knock it off?" he asked, mock-glaring at them.

"Oh, take it easy, Mosi." Mohatu chuckled. "We were just playing, weren't we, Tafari?"

"Yeah," Tafari said, "except Mohatu wouldn't know the meaning of play if it smacked him right across his big, fat…"

"Hey, careful with the language." Mosi warned. "Now, I think we'd do better to dry off. We stay any longer in the water, a hippo might mistake us for one of its own."

"I think Mohatu doesn't need to be in the water for them to know he's one of their own." Tafari chortled.

"Oh, really?" Mohatu asked, tackling him again, and the two engaged in another fight before Mosi separated them once again, very painfully. Being the voice of reason among their little "pack" was hard work, he thought as he dragged his friends out of the water. As his paws felt dry ground instead of wet earth, he shook himself, hoping that most of the water was out of his mane; those sure took a lot of work to maintain. But judging from his friend's actions, he came to the conclusion that it hadn't settled on them yet. Shaking his head, Mosi looked up and saw none other than Kamaria, Mohatu's future queen.

"Hey," he whispered to his friend. "There's your girl."

Immediately, the smile on Mohatu's face turned into a frown and he could swear a storm cloud had suddenly descended upon the lands, despite it being a beautiful day. "She's not _my_ girl." He growled.

Mosi pursed his lips. He had noticed how quickly the mood could turn sour whenever the Grasslands princess was brought into the conversation. He couldn't say that he was alright with all this betrothal stuff, but he couldn't say that he agreed with the way Mohatu had been treating his future queen all this time. At the end of the day, it wasn't her fault that she was here. The only reason their parents had come up with the idea was to ensure that both kingdoms would be in each other's good books. Honestly, Kamaria didn't seem to mind, because she seemed to put her kingdom's expectations in front of her own desires. If it were up to him, he'd say that Mohatu could learn a thing or two from her.

Tafari narrowed his eyes. "Hey, there's no need to get so grumpy." He said.

"Then can we stop talking about _her_?" Mohatu snapped.

Mosi raised an eyebrow at this behavior. "Mohatu, that's enough." He said. "We're here to enjoy and have a great day out. Let's not let anything get in the way of that."

Grumbling, Mohatu agreed and walked on ahead to get the best place in the shade. Tafari hung back with Mosi, the look on his face saying, _we need to talk_.

Mosi sighed. "I'm worried about him too."

Tafari nodded. "He's never been like this before."

Mosi didn't answer, just looking after Mohatu, who was pushing aside some brambles so they could have a comfortable place to sit, and Kamaria, who was chatting it up with Asha.

"Still," Tafari said, making Mosi turn his ears to him, "she is really pretty."

Mosi let the slightest hint of a smirk pull at his lips as he followed Tafari's gaze. "Who are we talking about here?" he asked.

Just then, their conversation was interrupted by Mohatu calling them over. Sharing one last look, the two friends walked over to sit by their brother.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Glad to see you guys are enjoying this story. **

**And yes, I've introduced two more characters into my story, Mosi and Tafari. If you've noticed, I've based the three of them on the three brothers from Brother Bear. They're not exactly like that, but the idea remains the same; Mohatu is the arrogant, youngest; Tafari is the aggressive middle; and Mosi is the level headed eldest. I'm not very sure about Mohatu and Tafari, but I've primarily based Mosi on Sitka, mostly because I think he's a cool character and in every band of three, there should always be that voice of reason, shouldn't there.**

**Oh, and who Tafari was looking at, I'm not revealing it just yet. I'd like to see what you guys think about the situation. Also, I wanted to show that Mohatu's behavior isn't tolerated by his friends as well. **

**Please read and review.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

* * *

><p>Time began to go faster than she could anticipate, and Kamaria almost had trouble coping up with it. Before she knew it, a week had already gone by, and she was starting to feel at home.<p>

Wait, only a _week_? She could've sworn that she'd been here for a month.

Well, that just showed just how comfortable you could get. And honestly, who wouldn't get comfortable in a place like this? It was a stark contrast to her old home, which was pale and kind of bland. Days in this place were filled with sun and the land was in a constant state of vibrant colors, the grass always being green and yellow. She could really picture herself living the rest of her life in this serene beauty. The only thing to make this even better would be if her family could experience it along with her.

Thinking of them made her slightly sad. She knew it would be a while before she'd see her father and siblings again, and the time was steadily approaching for her mother to be returning to the Grasslands. Her duties as queen had gone ignored for long, despite Subira stepping in as a substitute for her mother.

But quickly shaking herself out of those dreary thoughts, Kamaria turned her head to the sky and breathed in the fresh morning air. Personally, she had been looking forward to today, when King Nkosi would be taking her out for God knows what.

"Ready to go?"

She turns around to find the large brown lion standing in all his kingly glory. Despite knowing him for a while, there was still that urge in her to gain his approval, by either pleasing him with her actions or staying out of his way. That was one thing that would take a lot longer to go away.

He stepped over to her and touched his nose to her head in an affectionate gesture. "Come along now. We don't have time to be dawdling."

Softly chuckling to herself, she followed him down the ledges of Pride Rock and into the vast open savannah.

* * *

><p>"So, Your Highness, what are we doing today?" she asked.<p>

"Getting to know each other better." He replied, pointing to a shady area near the watering hole. He plopped himself on a cool rock and gestured for her to sit in front of him. "One of the first things is that in order to totally ease my mind about the succession of a betrothed, I need to know _everything_ about them. And in that, I mean, I want you to tell me your story, and leave _nothing_ out."

After he nodded at her to start, she took a deep breath and started her tale. As he requested, she left nothing out. She told him about her largely uneventful life, and how she always wished for more. She related the tales her mother told her late at night that ended up keeping her awake, staring at the stars under a cloudy sky. She let him know about how much she cared for her father, and how scared she was for his failing health, both for him and for the sake of the pride.

It really helped that the king was such a good listener. He never interrupted or said anything, or even seemed to become bored with her chattering. He simply crossed one paw over the other, lay his head down on them, and looked up at her with his bright blue eyes that showed constant interest. It really made this whole exercise more like a joyride than a chore. Not that she ever felt like anything was a chore around this place. She wondered whether it was just a royal thing or was it simple Prideland hospitality.

"So, all in all, that's my life so far." She completed her story. "Until now, my life has been a constant and steady blur. I never was one to seek out adventure, but I always had a longing for it deep in my heart. However, that is highly unrealistic, and I thought I'd never experience it. But, ever since coming here, I feel like I'm in an adventure for the first time in my life. And for once, I'm okay with not knowing how it ends."

"That's nice to know." The King remarked, speaking for the first time since she started her story. "One thing my mother always taught me was that life wasn't always going to have set rules and definitions. There would be times when it would be out of balance, or not reveal the next step. She used to say that what makes you a ruler is how you handle such situations, and what makes you a lion is how well you are able to hold your ground."

"That's nice advice." Kamaria said. "If I remember correctly, your mother was…"

"My mother was Queen Ashura, first born of the three daughters of King Imara, the first King of the Pridelands." He said, smiling.

Her eyes widened. "Really? That's awesome. So, your mother had two other sisters?"

He nodded. "Queen Etana and Queen Hazina were the second and third born respectively. They were some of the fiercest warriors that the Pridelands had ever known. They really did bring a smile to their father's face, and he left in peace, knowing the Pridelands would be safe in their hands."

Without meaning to, she fixates on something and she stops him. "_Queen_? Wait, Your Majesty, were they betrothed to another pride to be called Queens?"

He laughed, startling her. "Well, looks like no one knows the whole story." He straightened up, as if about to deliver a lecture, which he probably was. "The three daughters of King Imara, after his passing, ruled over the Pridelands together, in a three-way rule."

"How is that possible?" she asked. "Wouldn't they end up fighting for the throne, or something?"

"That's precisely why they stuck with this. All three of them were seen as potential heirs, and no one could pick their favorite. Also, no one wanted either of them to leave because their true place was at their home. That was why, at his deathbed, passed the kingdom on to all _three_ of them, knowing they'd make it work. And they did not fail, but rather exceeded his expectations."

"Now that's something I'd have loved to see." Kamaria breathed excitedly.

King Nkosi smiled at her. "My story, is in no way similar to yours. But, in order for us to completely understand one another, it must be both ways."

He slightly adjusted himself so that he was more comfortable before he started talking. "The three daughters of the First King ascended the throne when they were pretty young, not even five years of age. Due to that, they had little to worry about other than running the kingdom and keeping outside rogues from coming in. However, since they were _beautiful_ and were royalty, their paws were widely sought after, by both royal lions from neighboring kingdoms as well as rogues who had innate knowledge of them.

"About two years into their rule, the issue came about an heir. Since they were female, the only one who would be able to ascend the Prideland throne would be a rogue, and they weren't ready to allow that yet. None of them could leave their posts as well, or could risk abandoning the Pridelands. But unexpected events would occur that would make this decision for them.

"While on a walk, the eldest daughter, Ashura, came across a rogue male on the border. He had absolutely no knowledge of the Pridelands, and he had no desire to take over a kingdom or whatsoever. You could see how much this behavior could have been frowned upon, but he nevertheless caught the Queen's eye, and this led to them secretly rendezvousing in the nights. Eventually, her sisters, growing suspicious of her behavior, followed her one night and found out her meetings with the rogue. Initially hostile to him, they soon relaxed when they realized that he had been planning to move on anyway. And sure enough, two or three days later, he was gone.

"But that was also around the time that Queen Ashura realized that she had been carrying his cub. Now that the issue of an heir was resolved, the Queens turned to more pressing matters like the running of the kingdom. Soon, Queen Ashura gave birth to a male cub."

"You." Kamaria said. He nodded in agreement.

"My cub hood was like any other heir's. I had my lessons with my mother _and_ my aunts. I followed them on their excursions and even sometimes helped out if I could. I was taught how to hunt by my aunt Etana, and I was taught how to fight by my aunt Hazina. My mother taught me the fundamentals of ruling, and she was the one to suggest that we wrap up for the day so I could still be a cub. It was a pretty happy cub hood for me, and I never regretted any of it."

"You never wanted to know about your father?" she asked.

"I never knew my father, only that he was a rogue, and I never desired to know. Maybe it was because I received equal treatment from my family to compensate for the loss of a father figure, and a few of the older cubs took me under their wing. I guess with all the attention I was getting from everybody, I never really felt the desire for a father figure in my life. Most of the duties of a father figure were split up between my aunts, and spending time with one of the same gender was taken up by one who was actually like a big brother to me."

He looked at her and smiled. "There's no need to feel pity for me. Granted, if it were otherwise, I would have loved it, but the truth was that my father was a wanderer. He could never really be held in one place too long. Ruling a kingdom would have been the last thing he wanted to do." He chuckled. "So, despite the fact that all I have of him are stories told to me by my mother, I'm absolutely fine with that. It doesn't do one good to not have anything of both their parents; hence, I was happy for what little I had of my father."

She looked down at her paws, not knowing what to say. All her life, she had treasured her parents and had been glad that she had both of them. Both had made significant impacts in her life, and she was here now because of them. She could not imagine not having any one of them.

Noticing her gaze, Nkosi sent her a fatherly gaze. "Do not compare my story with yourself. We come from different backgrounds, and we each learnt a lot on the way. I do not wish for your sympathy, for that would be a waste of it. I would advise you to save it for when it is absolutely needed."

Once he had gotten her attention once again, he turned his gaze back over the savannah. "But, the part where I really had to struggle was when I was a little over two years old. Then, a pride of rogues had challenged the Three Queens for the right to mate with them. Of course, neither of them would allow it, and it turned bloody very quickly. They were able to send the rogues running, but not without the cost of my mother's life."

"That's awful!" Kamaria exclaimed.

Nkosi paused for a moment and then continued. "Queen Ashura's death affected the balance of the Pridelands terribly. The entire kingdom was sent into shock, and everyone wanted someone to blame. Restlessness and a desire for vengeance sparked loads of unnecessary bloodshed among the inhabitants. Seeing this, Queen Etana and Queen Hazina took a decision for the good of the kingdom and for everyone."

"What did they do?" Kamaria asked.

"The Mountain Pride's queen had recently passed away as well at a very young age, leaving the king and their young son without a queen. Hence, Queen Hazina got herself betrothed to their king and went away to their kingdom to help it, for the promise of an alliance between the Pridelands and the Mountain Pride."

"And Queen Etana?"

"Queen Etana stepped in as sole ruler of the Pridelands, as Queen Regent, if you will, in my stead. The official title had fallen to me, but I was way too young to rule anything, so my aunt ruled in place of me."

He turned to the young lioness. "I would not worry, if I were you. The story does have a happy ending, you see."

"A happy ending?" Kamaria softly asked.

Nkosi nodded. "When I turned four, my aunt started looking out for a betrothed to be a queen for me. According to her, a king was nothing without his queen, and a lion is nothing without his mate."

She smiled. "She sounds very wise."

He winked at her. "Where do you think I get all my intelligence from, huh?"

She laughs a little. "So, how did the search work out?"

"Well, Queen Etana searched for months, but couldn't get a suitable match. But eventually, she found one, a pretty lioness who was the third daughter of a neighbouring kingdom. Her father had been looking for possible matches for her, and my aunt thought that the two of us would be compatible."

"Were you?"

He nodded. "It was pretty shaky at first, because I still thought I was way too young for all this. But we found middle ground, and we built a relationship out of that. Within a year, my aunt stepped down, installing me as the new king of the Pridelands."

Kamaria had no idea what to say or do after hearing the King's story. "That…that's a beautiful story." She softly said.

He smiled at her. "Still, it is a thing of the past, and so am I." he narrowed his gaze slightly. "Your story begins now, Kamaria, along with my son's. So, I only wish to offer you advice on the best course of action."

He looked over at his kingdom and then back at her. "I know you're trying to give him his space, but you two cannot go on like that forever. Some time, you'll have to make a move."

She looked down. "I know, but…"

"Then what are you waiting for?" he asked. "You know, my mother used to have a saying: If you wait too long, your prey might get away from you."

"Well, that's true, but…"

"Then what?"

"I…I…I'm not sure."

He raised his eyebrow slightly at that remark. "Quite an unusual thing for a future queen to be saying. But no matter, because your current task is to _find your way_."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for not updating for so long, but I have been working on other stories as well. But if you've stuck with the story for this long, thanks a bunch.**

**Oh, and if you enjoy Spirit, check out my Spirit fanfic "Storm & Fire: brothers Under The Sun."**

**And a late Merry Christmas to all of you!**

**Please read and review.**


End file.
